Town of Claresholm updates water restrictions guide

By Rob Vogt
Claresholm town council has updated the Town of Claresholm/Municipal District of Willow Creek water shortage response plan restriction guide, and directed administration to further investigate options for perpetually set watering schedules for odd and even properties.
At its May 13 meeting, council was updated on the changes by Abe Tinney, the town’s chief administrative officer.
Referring to a written report, he explained the town’s current water shortage response plan contains a summary of water licences, details on Pine Coulee Reservoir characteristics and physical infrastructure, a risk assessment, and a water-use restrictions guide which focuses on various trigger criteria and the stages of response activities.
In 2023, the town and M.D. implemented the water shortage response plan restrictions guide for the first time. The restrictions led to about 20 percent less water use in the summer months compared to summer months in 2022, which is evidence of broad community compliance to the restrictions.
The town and M.D. are conducting a supplementary pumping strategy that will be added to the water shortage response plan when completed. Currently, administration is seeking updates to the water shortage response plan restrictions guide.
Updates are based on staff experiences, questions from the public, and operational concerns after implementing the restrictions guide last summer. After approval, the town will circulate the guide to regulatory agencies, that is Alberta Environment and Protected Areas.
Proposed changes to the current water shortage response plan restrictions guide include:
Residential and commercial
Residential and commercial restrictions are on the same table to improve readability and interpretation. There are consistent stages and activities creating a community routine.
All descriptions of activities are consistent, with lawn and aesthetic garden changed to lawn, garden and plants.
All like information in tables was combined.
The normal stage was given standardized wording, and means no restrictions, while it is recommended watering occur between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Stage 5 has been standardized when pumping may have to occur up to the intake at the reservoir. At which time all town water use is prohibited pending approval.
Stage 3 eliminated watering on weekends. It was noted in this stage water quality from Pine Coulee is at its worst and the water plant filtering system is required to work harder. Therefore, taking excess demand away from weekends allows for operational efficiency when dealing with possible filter cleaning, breakdowns and repairs.
The format on all tables for restriction information for days and times has been standardized. For example: Days means watering is allowed three days a week, and time means 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
There is now a standardized water ending time. On given days it is at 11 p.m. Before on some days it was 12 a.m., or 10 p.m.
All the time lines that run through the night were taken out. For example 7 p.m. to 10 a.m.
Public institutional
Clarity has been created on when restrictions are and the format has been standardized for date/time being the same as residential/commercial.
The use of water is during the week only, with no weekend watering in any stage.
Stage 3 incorporates how the town operationally reduces hours on the spray park.
Stage 5 is now consistent with residential/commercial.
Agricultural
The wording that the town is to control shutoff and/or there will be a certain percentage reduction, was taken out. That’s because the town can’t reduce what land owners can take on their licence. If land owners are permitted 617 cubic metres they are permitted that until the town hits Stage 5, where pumping is most likely required at this stage, and there is only potable water production.
Vault locations and licence allotments were clarified. For example, some land owners have two vaults and the old table said they had 1234.56 cubic metres per licence, when it is actually 1234.56 cubic metres in total, as they only have one licence.
There is now owner and location clarity. Because owners of locations change, the name on locations was removed and land locations were used instead.
Licence allotment clarified, as some locations had the incorrect licence allotment referenced.
Coun. Mike Cutler said a lot of communities have moved to a watering schedule where odd and even-numbered houses water on certain days of the week on a permanent basis. For instance, odd-numbered houses water Monday and Wednesday, while even-numbered houses water Tuesday and Thursday.
“I’m interested in doing something like that,” he said.
Abe Tinney, the town’s chief administrative officer, said they can look into it.
Cutler said it would make things simpler, and Coun. Kieth Carlson agreed.
Tinney said the town is tied to the M.D. with this water shortage response plan, so they should have a conversation with the M.D. about this idea.
Coun. Rod Kettles said he thought the restrictions guide is a foundational document and the schedule proposed by Cutler could be layered on top of that.
Tinney said it may be difficult to layer something on top, because the water shortage response plan is attached to the town’s water and sewer bylaw.
In the end, council approved the changes to the water restrictions guide and directed administration to further investigate options for having perpetually set watering schedules for odd and even properties.